Quoted hereunder, for the guidance of all concerned, is the pertinent portion of Opinion No. 18, s. 1990, of the Secretary of Justice:

"It is pertinent to mention that the real name of a person is that given him in the civil register, not the name by which he was baptized in his church or by which he has been known in the community, or which he has adopted.  The only way by which the name of a person can be changed, legally, is by the appropriate proceedings under Act No. 1386 in relation with Rule 103 of the Rules of Court.  While the practice in this Catholic country is for individuals to adopt the names given them at baptism, baptismal names have never been recognized in the law and this practice has not been sanctioned by the law ( Chomi v. Local Civil Registrar, 99 Phil. 1004)."

Accordingly, therefore, in case of discrepancy of names, the one appearing in the birth certificate of the passport applicant shall be considered as his/her real/official name to be scripted in the passport.

Adopted: 14 Feb. 1990

(SGD.) ALFREDO L. ALMENDRALA

Director-General for Consular Services